methodman

hi all,

i think a few of you play, what the best way to start, is it buy an acoustic and then get lessons? what about online or a dvd?? is electric easier? er what about bass guitar? i`m just not too sure where to start, & how much are lessons, and how often do you have to practise? and how many lessons do people generally need to get things going?


sorry for all the questions, i really just dont know!!

so any halp would be great or a website to help me on the way..


aaron

Bubba po

How old are you? What sort of music do you want to play eventually?

I wouldn't buy an acoustic unless you want to end up playing an acoustic - electrics are far easier to play.

SiPie

Disagree with this I'm afraid

If you choose an acoustic to learn on, you will learn greater feel and warmth of tone, plus you'll gain the flexibility to take your guitar with you wherever you go.....try sitting round a camp fire with a 100 watt amp in tow

You'll gain strength in your hands and avoid picking up lazy habits (associated with electrics) ie. your chord shapes may get sloppy. Your fingers will hurt initially (unlike an electric) but this will soon pass when they toughen up.

I agree that it's easier to learn on an electric but you don't learn to the same standard.

Get a few decent DVD's, personally recommend the one below as a great starting point. You can then have a good base point and then go on to choose the style you want to play.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Peter-Finlay...e=UTF8&s=video

Good luck

methodman

cheers fellas` well i`m 35 and like thing harder these days, well my music!


any more info? like how much are lessons, and how much practise would i have to do in between lessons?

Bubba po

You practise as much as your enthusiasm will allow you to. The secret to playing any musical instrument is practice, practice, practice. The teacher shows you the route and the destination, but you have to walk the route a hundred times to get there. Particularly as you get older.

Onan The Barbarian

The best piece of advice I could give you is to get yourself an acoustic to start with. Acoustics are more difficult to play. They generally require a bit more pressure on the strings to get a clear tone but this kinda forces you to be a bit more positive and precise when placing your fingers (if you like, it starts you off with good habits rather than bad). When you switch to an electric you will find it much easier to play and hopefully, by that time you will have picked up some skills that will allow you to get a bit more adventurous.

The other thing I would suggest is to learn how to play bar chords. These are simplified chords that don't really require you to shift the shape of your hand on the fretboard. Bar chords don't sound as good as 'proper chords' but they do allow you to make quick progress and get you playing along to songs. This generally stops you from getting bored too easily. It's a good stepping stone.

Hope this helps

David Lock

Lessons would be in the region of £15-£20 per hour for individual tuition. One teacher I knew met with 5 or 6 of his pupils in a pub every fortnight and they had a sort of jam session together which was great fun. Practice is the only way you will improve so it's up to you to put in as much as you can without spoiling the enjoyment. My son does some teaching and he knows which of his pupils have been practicing - despite what they tell him dl

methodman

cheers all, up to 20 quid per hour?

Bubba po

What bollox. My band has been learning Razorlight's "In the morning" tonight and that can't be played successfully with open chords.

zip929

but you will only learn if you practice.
I was fortunate enough to start plying from the age of 5.
i have had untold tutors good and bad.
Anyone can learn how to play guitar. Just practice and you will learn.
Requires hours and hours of dedication if you really want to progress.
No tutor can help you with that.

I have played most styles of guitar (Clasical, Jazz, Rock, Bluse etc), and now do not play at all!
Been in bands, never made it!

Married life does not give me adequate time to practice, so i would sooner not play at all (bar the occasioanal sing song at a golf do or similar).

Wish you luck with your new found hobby.
Don't forget Rome was not built in a day.
Give it 6 months practice and you will be surprised what you can play.

Keep it up.

methodman

cheers all!

SiPie

Bin your wife and find one who is understanding and encourages you to enjoy your hoby

Mine seldom misses a gig, but then she's maybe just scared I get kidnapped by groupies

Ibiza_Cupra

I have an SG going for sale if anyone is interested PM me and i will give details !

methodman

whats an SG??

Ibiza_Cupra

that is my one which i am selling in brand new condition but mine has loads of extras with it

GaryK

I would echo the above sentiments. I have been having lessons for 5 years now and my teacher is great but I just dont practice enough so that really is the key regular practice. One thing I would say that has helped me develop and its something I dont get chance to do enough is play with others (thats not a group whack off btw). I find it alot more interesting playing in a group so if you get the chance to do that, do!

Good Luck!

Gary

Ibiza_Cupra

I taught my self to play from books, I have a lot of stuff at home from when i started playing which i am selling with this guitar. I used to play in a bad and all sorts, but now i just dont get the chance within everythink else that i do !

methodman

wow, looks a nice bit of kit indeed

Ibiza_Cupra

it certainly is, I no this is not a for sale thread but it is going for £300 ono if any one interested, thats with a multi FX peddal, case, leads, books, etc basically everything i have left to do with guitar !

Harty2000

Must be a Epiphone SG at that price?
I never had a lesson, I just just learnt from books and just playin and playin till it sounded good.
I kind of think I am slightly more creative on the guitar because of the lack of lessons but being taught scales would have been ok.

Bonehead

That's bollox to....

I was playing this with my band the other week and I was playing it all over the fret board - open chords included.

Bubba po

Don't be thick... the implication was entirely with open chords.

Ibiza_Cupra

correct

methodman

you giving it all up then Cupra?

Ibiza_Cupra

yeah i am,just have not got the time at the moment